"The last 20 seconds of the episode will leave people with their hearts in their mouths," he told TV Guide. "You're going to be desperately wishing to fast forward and be on to the first episode of season four, because it's hugely dramatic.

"There's a lot of shock value, and it's going to change the world of The Vampire Diaries forever. You should be scared! I think not everyone's going to like it; it's going to provoke some strong opinions. It's really going to get people talking, and that's what we want."